What is sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim?
Sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim are both antibiotics that treat different types of infection caused by bacteria.
The combination of sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim is used to treat ear infections, urinary tract infections, bronchitis, traveler’s diarrhea, and Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia.
Sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.
-
Precautions
-
Instructions
-
Side Effects
-
Interactions
Precautions
You should not use this medication if you are allergic to sulfamethoxazole or trimethoprim, if you are pregnant or breast-feeding, or if you have anemia (lack of red blood cells) caused by folic acid deficiency.
If you have certain conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely use this medication. Before using sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim, tell your doctor if you have:
- kidney or liver disease;
- a folic acid deficiency;
- asthma or severe allergies;
- AIDS;
- a glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency (G6PD deficiency); or
- if you are malnourished.
FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether this is harmful to an unborn baby. Before taking sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim, tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment.
Sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
Do not give this medication to a child younger than 2 months old.
Older adults may be more likely to have side effects while taking this medication.
Antibiotic medicines can cause diarrhea, which may be a sign of a new infection. If you have diarrhea that is watery or has blood in it, call your doctor. Do not use any medicine to stop the diarrhea unless your doctor has told you to.
Avoid exposure to sunlight, sunlamps, or tanning beds. This medication can make your skin more sensitive to sunlight, and a sunburn may result. Wear protective clothing and use sunscreen (SPF 15 or higher) when you are outdoors.
▲
Back to top
Instructions
Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine..
Overdose can cause dizziness, drowsiness, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, stomach pain, headache, yellowing of your skin or eyes, blood in your urine, fever, confusion, or fainting.
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, wait until then to take the medicine and skip the missed dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
▲
Back to top
Side Effects
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:
- fever, sore throat, and headache with a severe blistering, peeling, and red skin rash;
- the first sign of any skin rash, no matter how mild;
- pale skin, easy bruising or bleeding;
- cough, feeling short of breath;
- diarrhea that is watery or bloody;
- feeling restless or irritable, confusion, hallucinations, seizure;
- slow heart rate, weak pulse, severe tingling, numbness, muscle pain or weakness;
- nausea, stomach pain, loss of appetite, itching, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes);
- fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms; or
- urinating less than usual or not at all.
Less serious side effects may include:
- painful or swollen tongue;
- dizziness, spinning sensation;
- ringing in your ears;
- joint pain; or
- sleep problems (insomnia).
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
▲
Back to top
Interactions
Tell your doctor about all other medications you use, especially:
- seizure medication such as phenytoin (Dilantin);
- a diuretic (water pill);
- a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin);
- methotrexate (Trexall, Rheumatrex); or
- an ACE inhibitor such as benazepril (Lotensin), captopril (Capoten), fosinopril (Monopril), enalapril (Vasotec), lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril), moexipril (Univasc), perindopril (Aceon), quinapril (Accupril), ramipril (Altace), or trandolapril (Mavik).
This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim. Tell your doctor about all your prescription and over-the-counter medications, vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor.
Other Names
Bactrim, Bactrim DS, Bactrim I.V., Bactrim Pediatric, Cotrim, Cotrim DS, Cotrim Pediatric, SMX-TMP, SMZ-TMP, Septra, Septra DS, Septra I.V., Sulfatrim, Sulfatrim Pediatric, TMP-SMX, Uroplus, Uroplus DS, sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, Bethaprim, Bethaprim Pediatric, and SMZ-TMP DS
▲
Back to top
Disclaimer
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.
Copyright 1996-2004 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version 2.05. Revision date 8/23/04
Updating results…
0 helpful marks
First
Prev
